Book Review: Great Big Beautiful Life By Emily Henry

Main Characters

Alice Scott – A hopeful writer with a big heart and even bigger dreams.
Hayden Anderson – A brooding Pulitzer Prize-winner with a sharp mind and sharper edges.
Margaret Ives – A reclusive heiress with a scandalous past and secrets only she can tell.

Publisher’s Summary

Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: to write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years—or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the twentieth century.

When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.

One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.

Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication.

Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.

But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.

And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad . . . depending on who’s telling it.

My Thoughts

I’ll say it—I love Emily Henry. She’s an auto-buy author for me, and her past novels have delivered everything I look for in a contemporary romance: heartfelt emotion, witty dialogue, and fully fleshed-out characters. But with Great Big Beautiful Life, I felt a bit… underwhelmed.

This book tried to be a blend of biography-style mystery and slow-burn romance, but it didn’t fully land for me. As a fan of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, I found the comparison hard to avoid—and unfortunately, Margaret just didn’t hold my attention the way Evelyn did.

Every time the narrative switched back to Margaret’s chapters, I found myself wishing we’d return to Alice and Hayden. Their banter and budding connection were far more engaging than the historical drama surrounding Margaret’s life. I craved more time with them and less fragmented storytelling.

Would I Recommend It?

If you’re a die-hard Emily Henry fan, you might still enjoy this book—especially if you’re in the mood for a slower, more introspective read. But if you’re looking for the spark of Book Lovers or the emotional punch of Beach Read, this one may not fully satisfy.

Favorite Quotes from Great Big Beautiful Life

“I’ve always felt most myself when I am alone.”
— Emily Henry, Great Big Beautiful Life

“What do you think he should have done? … For the one you love? Anything. You unmake the world and build a new one.”
— Emily Henry, Great Big Beautiful Life

“When his eyes rise to mine, it feels like the world has tilted just slightly on its axis.”
— Emily Henry, Great Big Beautiful Life

Listen or Buy Now

🎧 Listen to Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry for free → Click here
📚 Purchase your copy on Amazon → Great Big Beautiful Life on Amazon